Removing Attic Braces

They don t look as if they were meant to be permanent so i wanted to know if from a structural standpoint they are really needed.

Removing attic braces. Purlins as shown in sample photos below are installed for rafter support. I have this above my own garage. Every so often i ll crawl into an attic without any attic bracing. An important notation is that the purlin bracing should be off of walls or beams as needed.

Prevent this unfortunate series of events by bracing your rafters to make them sturdy and resistant to snow loads and wind. In order to gain space while still supporting the roof adequately you will need to build a short support or pony wall to run along each side of your attic before removing the the webbing braces in your trusses. I laid on my back to take the shot in that picture the roof slopes downward to the right. Sagging rafters are a sign that a house is in serious trouble.

Usually these are older home built in the 30 s through the 50 s however i ve seen inadequate attic bracing on homes of all ages. The problem is that there are 1x4 braces where i want to put my 2x4 studs. The braces struts or kickers should be within every 4 and should not be at a greater than a 45 degree angle towards the roof slope lower side. These give the sheathing something flat to lay against.

Bracing for the roof frame can. The studs would run through the middle of the frame. When sagging gets too severe it can lead to roof collapse and once the roof goes the house won t last for long. Click the images to enlarge into a new window.

You can see perpendicular cross braces above the trusses between the trusses and the roof sheathing. Attic trusses have a rectangular shape inside each truss. Let s start our discussion by looking at the proper way to brace an attic. I added a picture of the roof directly above the brace i am asking about.

Tape measure chalk line 2 by 4 inch boards. Install the rest of the braces on that side of the attic then install the braces on the other side of the attic using the same method.